Russia on Monday revealed the goals of the ongoing joint exercises with China in the Pacific in which dozens of ships and aircraft participated, while Iraq offered its readiness to mediate between Moscow and Kiev to push for dialogue and peace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia's "high-level" exercises in the Pacific, saying during a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that "the first phase of these exercises took place at a very high level."

The exercises, announced last week and coinciding with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu's visit to Russia, involved more than 25,167 military personnel and 12 ships, including 89 submarines, as well as <> aircraft and helicopters, Shoigu said during the meeting.

Shoigu noted that Russian forces participating in the exercises were trained during the first phase to detect enemy submarines near Peter the Great Bay (in the Sea of Japan) and Avashinsky Bay in the southeast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's far east.

Russia’s Pacific Fleet holds large-scale naval drills to test readiness
As Russia’s Pacific Fleet conducted snap drills aimed at testing the Navy’s combat readiness, our correspondent Donald Courter had the rare chance of getting on board the Marshal Shaposhnikov man-of-war.
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The second phase, which is currently underway, includes exercises aimed at verifying the capabilities of strategic submarines and their ability to use weapons, especially anti-aircraft defense, in the Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan in the Pacific Ocean, according to the minister.

The third and final phase will begin on Tuesday and will include exercises on firing missiles aimed at destroying enemy submarines and ships and firing artillery fire against air and sea targets, according to the same source.

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, who was received by Putin in the Kremlin on Sunday, hailed the very strong ties between Moscow and Beijing "that go beyond the military and political alliances of the Cold War era."

Iraqi mediation

In a related matter, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba in Baghdad on Monday his country's readiness to mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine.

Hussein said during a press conference with Kuleba that "this visit is important for the future of the relationship between Iraq and Ukraine, as well as for the future Iraqi role in helping Ukraine and Russia."

It was the first visit by a Ukrainian foreign minister to Iraq in 11 years and follows a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Baghdad in February.

Hussein said his country was ready to "help the parties first reach a ceasefire and secondly start talks" within the framework of the Arab League contact group, in which Iraq has been participating for a year.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (right) during his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmitry Kuleba in Baghdad on Monday (Anatolia)

Ukraine's foreign minister ruled out the success of any mediation initiative at the moment. "You can't say you support peace (referring to Russia) while trying to invade more territory, commit more atrocities and destroy villages and towns," Kuleba said.

Referring to Russia's ongoing offensive against his country since February 2022, he added, "Whatever Russian officials say, Russia today wants war. Access to peace efforts will take time."

The Iraqi offer comes after Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Sunday he had discussed a joint mediation initiative with China and the United Arab Emirates, accusing the United States and Europe of prolonging the dispute.

Fighters for Ukraine

The offer of mediation from Iraq comes at a time of escalating fighting on a number of battlefronts, especially in the city of Pakhmut, while arms supplies to Kiev continue.

Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said his country had completed the transfer of all 13 of its MiG-19 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Ukraine's Ukrinform news agency quoted the minister as saying on Twitter on Monday that "all 13 Soviet MiG-29 fighters have been safely delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force."

In March, the Slovak government approved the delivery of 13 MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, and the first four were delivered the same month.

Slovakia joined Poland in delivering Russian MiG fighter jets to Kiev to help repel the Russian attack.